Viva La Vida
by Tiki Rane Gobell
Summary: Tom Riddle was secure in his own little world he had built for himself: a secret dark lord that was ruler of magical Great Britain. He had everything he ever wanted...until Harry Potter came into his life. LV(TR)/HP
1. Chapter 1

Viva La Vida

About: This fic was inspired by Coldplay's "Viva La Vida" AKA "That Was When I Ruled the World." Listening to the song, I imagined a world that Lord Voldemort ruled that Harry Potter destroyed. Chapter titles will all be taken from lyrics of this song (though most out of context extremely).

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Any characters or quotes that you recognize do not belong to me.

Chapter 1: Saint Peter Won't Call My Name

"This is insane," Hermione growled, unpacking Harry's trunk at the same rate he was trying to pack it. "Worse than that Gringotts plan we had at 17. Worse than that business venture you tried with Zabini 15 years ago." By now, Harry was pretty sure that Hermione was only muttering to herself, not him. She continued to unpack his trunk and had everything except his socks and underwear out now, which she looked hesitant to touch. Harry thought that odd, considering that Hermione was a great-grandparent now, and often had to touch other people's underwear because of cleaning, laundry, or a messy child. It brought a smile to his face as he grabbed Hermione's hands and held them in his until her laugh-lined eyes found his forever-seventeen eyes. She wasn't laughing right now, just the opposite in fact.

"Hermione, I've thought about this for a long time," he tucked a strand of her now silver hair behind her ear. "I've prepared as best as a can, but you know me - something is bound to go wrong." At Hermione's inhale of breathe, which Harry knew heralded another long thought-out and logical argument, Harry quickly continued so as to cut her off. "But you know me, Hermione. I'm Harry Potter and I always surprise and come out on top." His face twisted into a sad smile.

"But what about us? Won't you miss us?" She tried again, feeling terribly selfish.

"Without a doubt. More than you can ever imagine," Harry explained softly. "But this is something I need to do. You and Ron are like family to me, but you're not getting any younger and I'm not getting any older. Don't you understand?" he asked, hugging her tightly. "I want to remember you and Ron like this - happy and full of life. I don't want to only be able to think about your funeral when I think of you or to see you waste away slowly and in pain. Yes, it will hurt a lot at first. But..." he paused, hugging her tighter and unable to come up with the right words.

"I understand, Harry. And I understand that you've been feeling lost lately. I understand," She repeated.

Nothing was said for a long minute. They just stood there in each other's arms taking comfort in the shared warmth before moving apart.

"What about Ron?" she asked.

"Who do you think helped me plan this?"

"You got Ron to help you with the research?" she asked with a quizzical brow. "Now I know something will go wrong."

Harry laughed. "Come on Hermione, what kind of idiot do you take me for? I did the magical research myself." And Harry really was long past his Hogwarts days of being dependent on Hermione to do all the research before jumping in. He gained that from when he decided to pursue curse-breaking as a profession. This was a little after he tired of being an Auror, which is where he gained some pretty impressive defensive skills, specifically with a knife. He also had a short stint as a quidditch player - he gained corrected eyesight from that (or does that count as losing something ? (his glasses)).

Harry continued, "Ron helped me plan how I'm going to make my departure public to the masses. We don't want everyone trying to try to jump dimensions. As far as they know, I've taken to a mountain to live out my days in peace and tranquility. He has also helped me plan what I need to do politically when I get there and he has helped me lay down the plan on how to woo him."

"Yes...woo him," Hermione hummed skeptically. "How do you even know your into...well...that!?"

A valid question since Harry had never officially dated anyone since Ginny (which ended when it became obvious that Harry was not aging). Hermione knew there were lovers, but good warding had kept her from ever...stumbling upon them.

"Come on Hermione. I'm a 100-year-old with the libido and body of a 17-year-old. I never told you why my business venture in Italy with Blaise went so poorly 15 years ago, but it was because we were too busy shagging like rabbits for that entire six months."

"Harry!" gasped a blushing Hermione.

"That man aged well, let me tell you! And remember those rumors about Astoria catching Draco in bed with a man?"

"Don't say another word, Harry Potter, or I swear you won't be able to lift my silencing charm for a week! I don't want to hear another story. I believe you whole-heartedly. "

Harry couldn't keep the sly smile from his face. He loved that he could still fluster someone he had known for nearly 90 years. That deviousness he had gained (or more like reinforced) from a rather long career in wizarding politics. Well, that and his interest in males of the Slytherin variety. This career began right after Harry "died" for the first time since the final battle. Harry had been working as a dragon tamer (this was shortly after the whole quidditch phase) from which he only gained one huge tattoo from a drunken night out and mental scars he still has nightmares about after he was eaten by a dragon while on the job and spent three days working through the digestive tract before...well..yeah.. ploh, plop! The only other career Harry can claim is a single year as the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher where he gained the mighty power of patience.

"But _him, _Harry? Are you sure you know what you're getting yourself into?"

"I've done my research. This Tom Riddle is _barely_ homicidal. He has kept his sanity, his looks, " Harry waggled his eyebrows at Hermione which made her laugh, "and he is the bloody Minister of Magic for Merlin's sake. Sure, he's still extremely racist," Harry said quickly, trying to downsize this characteristic. "But did I mention he is also immortal, just like a certain someone. He's not perfect, but I think I can make it work."

"Okay," was Hermione's simple reply. But then she started to unpack again.

"Hermione!" Harry squawked. "I thought you were alright with this!"

"I am Harry," she agreed but held up a pair of his underwear that she was unpacking. It was faded and the elastic was wearing out. Harry blushed. "But these are not the clothes you need in order to get someone to come on a second date with you. I knew you and Ron would forget something. Come on, we need to go shopping."

Harry groaned.

A/N: For those of you worried about me updating my other fic I currently have going right now: Blood and Each Other, with a new story starting now, don't worry. Half of this story was written about a year ago and I will only update once a week so I can keep up my writing schedule.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: It Was the Wicked and Wild Wind

In a parallel dimension far, far away...

Tom Riddle (from here-on only called Riddle, Minister, or Dark Lord out of respect for his abhorrence of his first name) was currently in his office reading that morning's newspaper . The office was all mahogany shelves filled with books - some of which seemed to emit a dark energy and weren't to be touched except by the Minister, reader beware. An enormous desk took up a majority of the floor space with two leather chairs in front of the desk for guests. The minister sat at his desk. Lucius Malfoy was, as often to be found, sitting in one of the leather chairs which, while very comfortable, did not let Lucius sit easily today with the article Lucius was also reading in an identical paper as the Minister. Riddle hissed between his teeth as he got further into the article. Lucius, as Riddle's top advisor, couldn't think of a positive of this situation. He kept silent.

Severus Snape - an early riser who had seen the paper an hour ago as soon as it was delivered - stood by the window in the office, currently displaying the gentle waves of a beach with the clearest water and whitest sand he had ever seen. He knew he would be summoned to office as soon as Riddle read the paper , and so had come to him first. Severus was acknowledged for knowing things, people, and secrets though his official title was Potions Master. The minister liked to make use of him when he could.

"Explain, Lucius, why I have to be informed by the newspaper that my newest legislation failed? I was told that it would pass with no problem in yesterday's Wizagamot meeting. I was told not to even bother attending the meeting because we have a landslide of support and our schedule was too full yesterday." Lucius flinched the paper was angrily thrown at his feet, the article declaring "Muggleborn and Creature Registration Act Fails" face up. Lucius was correct to be weary around the minister. He could not forget that the man was a Dark Lord with followers who all carried his mark (including Lucius and Severus) and ready to do his bidding. In fact, their dark community had been but inches away from war with Riddle as their leader before he decided to change the system from the inside and began his political career instead. "This was a crucial part of the plan to purify the wizarding world. To help our protect magic and help us hide magic from the muggles. We needed this. I wanted this. And I worked very hard to get all of the support to make it happen," he whispered, eyes flashing scarlet. "So, please be so kind as to tell me what happened!"

"My Lord," Lucius placated. "No one saw this coming. There were obviously circumstances outside our control. Someone must have had deeper pockets than us or maybe an imperious spell or potions..."

"Lucius," Riddle purred, cutting off the blonde's bullshit. "I will not let you try to hide under a rock like the snake you really are on this one. I want answers and I want to know who is responsible!" Riddle slammed his fists down on the desk.

"My Lord," this time Severus. "I only have rumors to go off of, but I think I can offer you some idea of what happened. " Severus pulled out several wizarding photographs. "I went searching for answers this morning as soon as I saw the newspaper. My associates all seem to believe that it was this man's fault." He presented the photos to the Minister. They were rather far off, blurred, and the subject refused to face the camera. The only fact they could really gather was the dark hair. "The only name they could give me was 'Harry' and they seemed to believe he was a mudblood."

"And how did a mudblood get the support needed to undermine my, the Minister of Magic and Syltherin's heir, bill?"

"Compromise, sir. Apparently he is very...charming." That last word looked as weird as it sounded coming out of the dour man's mouth. "Apparently, instead of the bill, the members of the wizagamot have agreed to a mandatory school for all muggleborn and half-blood 10-year-olds that will teach wizarding history, manners, and customs. Somehow, he even got the muggle government to fund this school. He donated a tract of land to the werewolf community, warded specifically as a safe place for them to transform and not be able to come across anyone. For the rest of the support - for the wizagamot members afraid that muggles will find out we exist because of their quickly advancing technology - this man has gotten the members agree to start and fund a Muggle Relations Department in the Ministries that promises at least 75 new jobs and whose goal is research and containment."

Severus' information was generally accurate and gained from sources of all blood and economic status. He was a private potioneer with a small shop at the corner of Knockturn and Diagon Alley. Some of his information was found by ease-dropping on conversations in the alley. Some of it was given for a promise of discreetly mailed potions. Everything else he pulled right out of untrained heads. It was always best to have brushed up on occlumency before being in the same room as the potion's master.

"I want this man found and brought before me," the Minister growled. "I don't care how you do it or who you have to bribe, I want to know this man's full name, his schooling, and where the bloody hell he came from and how he manage to sneak this under my nose! I will not - " his ear turned to the door where they could all hear a suspicious thump.

Lucius was halfway to the door to check on the sound when the door was kicked open. In what felt like half a minute, Lucius was spelled unconscious and sprawled on the floor in an undignified heap, Severus got only one silent disarming spell out before it was reflected back at him and he found himself wandless and chained to the wand. The minister stood, pulled out his wand, and fired three spells which were gracefully avoided before he found a sharp knife at his neck and his assailant behind him. Unable to move, for the first time Riddle felt a shiver of fear run down his back. His assailant pressed the knife harder to his neck as Riddle tried to subtly maneuver his wand to point behind him and the Minister barely had time to tense his muscles before a second knife was slashed at him. In half-an-eye-blink, the solid sound of the knife imbedding itself in the desk right in front of Riddle followed by the pop of apparation and Riddle was alone in his office with his two defeated supporters as the mystery assailant neatly repaired the wards behind his abrupt departure. A drop of blood trickled down from a shallow red line on Riddle's neck.

The wound was cleaned and healed with a flick of Riddle's wand and he wasted no time in reviving and unchaining his supporters before alerting the auror office of the break-in and assault by floo.

Severus and Lucius were straightening their robes and trying to regain some dignity when their attention was brought to the Minister's desk. The knife that the attacker had slammed into the desk was now a perfect red rose, sticking straight up out of the wood.

"My lord, is that...?" Lucius asked uncertainly.

Riddle approached the desk and cautiously checked the rose for enchantments, poisons, and curses. When none were found, he removed a slip of parchment that was tied delicately to the rose. He opened it, briefly tried to read the miniscule handwriting, before enlarging the parchment with a spell and reading his attackers words.

"Yes, Lucius," Riddle said after digesting the new information. "It is the initiation of a courtship."

"Highly irregular method," observed Severus. "Does it have a name?"

"No, just a date, time, and place with an invitation to dinner and a promise of more information to be discussed there," responded the Minister.

"You'd be mad to accept," said Lucius.

"Yes, I would be. But I'm curious..." the minister thought aloud.

"My lord! You can't go!" protested Lucius. "What if it's a trap?"

"That's why you will be going in my stead. Actually, Severus, you're a better choice. You are more level-headed and might be able to glean some information from my admirer's head."

"As you wish, my Lord," Severus bowed and left the room to get back to his solitude and potions.

"How delightfully irregular," whispered the dark lord, prying the rose from his desk, smelling it, and then conjuring a vase for the rose.

a/n: sorry, no time to proof-read.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: My Missionaries in a Foreign Field

"So he sent a lackey. I thought I'd left more of an impression than that," huffed Harry. It was the day, the time, and the place he had set for their first date but he was missing the blushing maiden. Or, you know, devious dark lord.

"Severus Snape," Harry narrated, "Number-one potion brewer in the country, Brewer's Monthly raves. Invented the Wolfsbane Potion - highly controversial topic of research to undertake with not many financial opportunities nor funders. Also, I've been following your new work on using snake venom in a potion to help cure the bloodlust of vampires. It's all very intriguing - the work that you have been doing."

"I'm afraid you have me at a disadvantage. You seem to know much about me, but I do not even know your name," Severus prompted, looking into the very green eyes of the man that got the best of him in the minister's office. Severus took full advantage of the opportunity of eye-contact to apply his mind-abilities.

"Ah, ah ah!" scolded the mystery man, while shaking a finger as if to a young child. "Keep your mind out of my mind. I wouldn't want you to get lost." The man's vague smile seemed to be alluding to a joke that the potion's master didn't care to understand.

"A trained occlumens then. How rare." Severus said 'rare' as if it were the word 'quaint' and he were humoring a small child. Speaking of children, "Are you even out of Hogwarts yet?"

"Don't worry, I graduated many years ago. I just look _very_ young for my age."

"Which is?" Severus asked.

"Tsk, tsk, Severus - I can call you Severus right, because I can tell we'll be great friends," the man continued despite Severus's protest at the thought of being friends with this obviously unbalanced individual. "You should know to never ask a lady her age! You're coming off as down-right rude, you know. I wish Tom had sent Lucius. He's much more well-mannered than you." He leaned on his elbows expectantly.

"Fine," Severus got up to leave.

"Wait!" Harry followed after him and drug him back to the table. "I'll be nicer, Severus. Merlin, what's a little joke between future-friends. Besides I was just about to tell you my name. Harry Potter, at your service, half-blood." Harry held out his hand for Severus to shake, which was ignored.

"Well," Harry tried again, "Why did your master send you instead of coming here himself?"

"Believe it or not, Potter" Severus spat, "But the Minister of Magic has a very full schedule and doesn't have time to come at every admirer's beck-and-call. He has plenty of them, let me assure you!" This boy sure knew how to break his cool.

The green-eyed man frowned. "I thought that he would want to meet me in person. After all, we are going to get married."

"That's preposterous!" the potion master claimed. "Why would he want a child less than half his age with no known family name or money? You have nothing of worth to him. You haven't even given him any proper courtship presents. I do not know what you're trying to do with this little stunt of yours, but you're going to get yourself killed."

Harry gave the potions master a soft smile and said, "Severus, you always try to protect others, don't you? Don't worry about me. And tell your lord that I have already given him two presents to prove myself as his equal, but I won't ruin the surprise. He will just have to figure out what they were. I will give you a hint, though," whispered Harry, leaning in conspiratorially. "What do you get a man who can have anything he wants the second he wants it?" Harry threw a galleon on the table to pay for their tea before slinging his robe over his shoulders and making his way through the crowd.

Severus couldn't help but be worried. However, he wasn't sure if he was worried for the boy who was obviously in over his head, himself for having to relate this experience to his Lord, or his Lord who had gained this mysterious stalker with a surprising and dangerous skill with a knife.

~o~o~o~

"And he didn't seemed surprised when you tried to use legilimency on him?" The minister asked after hearing Severus's quick summary of the "date."

"No, my lord. He seemed to know a lot about me," Severus replied.

Riddle's next question threw him though, "Was he handsome?"

"My lord?" Severus choked.

"I barely had the chance to see him when he broke into the office."

"I'm not sure we look for the same things when judging beauty, my Lord," Severus talked his way around the question. How was he supposed to know? As if he looked at men like that!

"It's of no matter, Severus, come," the minister motioned to the cabinet Severus knew held his pensieve. Severus got his wand out, concentrating on the recent memory while Riddle unlocked and opened the cabinet. A strand of silver later and Severus was rehashing the encounter. Riddle then watched the scene right through a second time, this time watching the man's, Harry's, face intently. The third time Riddle watched, he closed his eyes either to listen better or to think - Severus didn't know which.

"He's much younger than I was expecting. Especially for someone so magically powerful," Riddle observed, sliding into the chair on his desk after returning from the pensieve. Riddle steepled his fingers, deep in thought. "Please, take a seat Severus, I need someone to bounce ideas off of."

Severus complied. "Are you considering accepting the courtship?" Severus asked.

Riddle hummed. "It has been most interesting these last few days. I lose nothing by letting it play out and I can collect any benefits."

Severus was pretty sure the benefits Riddle was talking about were sex and flattery, so he quickly changed the subject. "And the two gifts he spoke of?"

"They were not physical gifts, obviously by his hint. The way he said 'prove himself as equal.' What does he think I consider most important to have in a lifemate? No, it would have to be something of value that you can't buy."

"Like a homemade cake?" Severus asked sardonically.

"Severus, I forget you have a sense of humor sometimes, but now is not the time," the dark lord chastised softly.

"What interactions have you had with him, my lord?"

"That's just it! I can't remember ever meeting him before. Yet he knows so much about me. I would remember meeting someone with such vast magic abilities."

"Ah!" the dark lord's sudden exclamation made Severus jump. "That's it. I know what his first gift to me was. Ingenious really." The dark lord got up from his desk and poured himself a scotch, neat, then one for Severus as well. "You see, Severus, this man, Harry, had to break into the ministry of magic, get past every security measure - aurors, creatures, and wards," he said while passing the potions master the drink.

"How was that a gift?" Severus queried, taking a larger gulp of his scotch than he would normally allow himself in public.

"Not so much a gift as a demonstration, a declaration of sorts that he could match me in power. Overpower me, in fact, with a bit of surprise on his side." Riddle savored the taste of the scotch on his lips. "I can't remember the last time I was this eager to see a courtship offer."

"And of the second gift he said he has given you?" Severus inquired.

"I don't know." Yet, oddly, as the dark lord admitted this limitation, he was smiling.

A/N: Short, I know...


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: the usual along with pointing out that this is rated M.

Chapter 4: Blew Down the Doors To Let Me In

"Anything new to report this morning?" Minister Riddle asked in lieu of greeting Lucius Malfoy as he walked into his office Monday morning. Lucius had arrived a few minutes earlier and was already seated in his normal leather chair and was reading that morning's headlines to keep track of the political situation. Since their last bill failed Lucius was working around the clock to try to recover their allies and prevent any more support from wiggling out of the Dark Lord's grasp.

Lucius nodded. "I've called in our new upstart for a meeting at the end of the week. First thing Friday morning I've arranged that you'll have the opportunity to...question the man that trashed the 'Muggleborn and Creature Registration Act.' You won't be interrupted, I guarantee it."

"Very well," Riddle praised before getting started on the stack of letters waiting for his attention. The morning seemed to drag by and fly by at the same time. Every time he looked at the clocked, it seemed to jump forward by a half-hour at a time, but Riddle found himself reluctant to open and respond to the next letter in the admittedly tall stack of correspondences. It seemed the more and more he tried to keep his mind off his new admirer, the less and less he could focus on the task at hand. This inability made him angry and yet, at the same time, overly curious as to the reason he had lost his normally single-minded focus. What was it about the man that appealed to him so? The mystery? If he solved it would this Harry cease to be interesting and his mind would go back to normal? Or perhaps, and Riddle feared to get his hopes up, perhaps Harry might be able to make a portion of his immortal life a bit more interesting - at least for a time. Try as hard as he may, but Riddle couldn't deny that this week since Harry had first had him at knife-tip had been the most fun he had had since plotting his way to the top of the ministry.

With a quickly muffled sigh, Riddle forced himself to finish his stack of correspondences. Finally, with the second letter from the bottom, his boredom quickly went away. He could feel the strong magic on the envelop. And it was his Harry's. With a hasty couple of spells to check for curses, Riddle tried to contained his excitement at what mystery would be presented to him next. He was, unfortunately, disappointed when he opened the envelope to find thick, blank parchment. Not a single word. Riddle was just raising his wand to cast a revealing spell when words started to appear. It was a two-way parchment! Riddle took a second to marvel at the spell-work before reading what Harry had written.

I was hoping I could convince you to have dinner with me?

How are you going to convince me? Riddle wrote back.

You pick the place and I'll pay?

You'll have to do better than that. I want some answers to my questions.

And you'll get those answers over dinner.

That's still not enough to convince me that dinner with you is worth it...

There was a pause. For a couple of seconds, Riddle was sure Harry had given up. But then, _Are you alone?_

Riddle eyebrows rose, becoming suspicious and not entirely sure this wasn't all a giant, elaborate hoax. He quickly looked up at Lucius who was on his third of five world newspapers. The minister decided against sending him out as he was busy enough not to interrupt his conversation with Harry.

**_Yes_**, he responded.

Another pause and then, Let me show you how convincing I can be.

_Show me?_

Suddenly, Riddle felt the warmth of a body against his legs and heard the sound of the zipper of his pants coming down.

Riddle's breath caught in his throat as he looked under his desk just in time to see Harry take out his dick out of his pants and plant a quick kiss to the rapidly filling head. Harry's eyes motioned up and Riddle caught new words appearing.

May I try to convince you?

Riddle nodded and just barely caught the groan he wanted to make before it got out of his mouth at the thought of harry sucking him off with Lucius in the room. The desk was sturdy and heavy and Harry was out of sight, but the thrill of getting caught turned Riddle on even more. As a precaution, Riddle cast a nonverbal silencing just in time as Harry took Riddle into his mouth with a lewd slurping sound. Riddle tried to pretend to be working still, but probably completely failed. Luckily, Lucius was distracted by reading and didn't look up until harry had finished with him and had tucked Riddle back into his pants.

"Are you feeling well, milord? You looked flushed. Perhaps you are running an fever?" Lucius asked suddenly.

Harry's eyes widened comically, a blush came to his cheeks which he buried deeper into Voldemort's knees.

_You're horribly perverted! He was in the room the whole time?_

Riddle's lips twisted into the barest smirk. "You're right Lucius. Let me go grab a pepper up just to be safe." And with that, a very satisfied Riddle left Harry under the desk alone with Lucius in a chair by the door. Harry quietly fumed against the turn in events but then a wicked smile came to his face. He popped out from Riddle's desk, gave a nod to the shocked speechless Lucius, suggestively wiped his mouth, then left the office without saying a word - he had a certain dark lord to hunt down.

Minister Riddle took a moment in the bathroom to clean himself up before helping himself to some coffee from a trolley in the atrium of the Ministry of Magic. He allowed himself a satisfied smirk when he was sure his coffee cup would cover it. Harry was good and Riddle was feeling pretty good as well. It had been a while since someone had his interest.

No one followed him into the lift, which the secret dark lord found slightly suspicious while looking out into the very crowed atrium. He only had a moment to consider this before the lift's doors closed and he found himself at a very familiar knife-point.

"Are all of our interactions going to involve you threatening me with a knife at my throat or my dick down yours?" The minister asked while considering how to get the advantage over the invisible man behind him.

"Only if you ask nicely," the man quipped, breath hot on the back of Riddle's neck. The man hit the emergency stop button and the lift shuddered for a moment before halting in its descent. "You never answered my question about dinner."

"That's what this is about?" Nudging the blade on the word 'this' with a finger tip. He felt the blade slice into his finger and a scalding bead of blood dripped down.

He felt the man shrug against his shoulder blades. "I never was very patient. However, now that I have you like this," Harry's hand drifted up and slid into the minister's robe, right over his heart. "After I've tasted you... I can't help but want a bigger portion." Riddle felt the man hardening against the cleft of his ass and heard him groan in desire. Riddle's own recently satiated body was rekindling interest.

"You must think me crass and forward," Harry breathlessly whispered, " but what you must understand is that I've waited for this, for you, for a long time," he said through his teeth, sounding as needy as it was mysterious. Riddle would be lying if he said that the sound didn't turn him on at all. "Now that you're in front of me, it's hard for me to control myself." The man tucked away his knife, hand still in the minister's robes over his heart, keeping him from moving away from the green-eyed man.

"I can feel your heart beat. It has been steady the entire time. I had your life on the edge of my blade, and not once did your heart speed up in fear," Harry whispered in his ear.

"Maybe I'm not as helpless as you seen to think me," the minister whispered back. _Why were they whispering?_

"Not a single part of me believes you are helpless, but fear for your life is the natural order of mortal beings."

"Maybe I don't believe you really mean me harm."

"Maybe... But we both know the truth is not that easy."

"The truth?" Riddle asked while contemplating between stunning the man or holding him under cruciatus for a few: pretending to be helpless was getting boring.

Harry's hand slipped into the minister's pocket. For a second, Riddle feared he was about to be groped, but then he felt the cold hardness of a potion's flask.  
"I almost forgot...your third gift," he explained. "And the truth is you're not mortal."

Riddles eyes widened in surprise and he made a grab for his wand to stun and question his admirer, but the man had apparated out of the lift (wards be dammed) and the doors opened to his floor in the same instant. He angrily stormed to his office, pushed a very confused Lucius out of his office and slammed the door in his face.

Riddle then poured himself a strong drink and settled at his desk to think. He was halfway through his glass when he noticed the two-way parchment Harry had sent him earlier. It was cleared of their earlier conversation and instead only had one line of text.

It read: _I'll pick you up for dinner at 8:00 tonight. Dress is muggle-formal._

The rest of his drink went sailing and crashed with a nearly silibant hiss into the fireplace.

Bored no more.

A/N: So...what did you think? Honesty is the best policy.


End file.
